That Golden Angel
by ScarlettHale
Summary: Amber is Alice Cullen's best friend, but she's also fallen in love with Alice's soul mate, Jasper. Amber decides she needs to leave for everyone's sake, but not before Alice tells her something truly terrible is going to happen...Jasper/OC.
1. Prologue

Prologue

If I'd have to have chosen my way to die, this certainly wouldn't have been it. I'd have liked to have died old and wrinkly and with some husband by my side. But fate had other plans for me, and I wasn't even going to make it to my eighteenth birthday.

Alice had begged me not to go, that I was her best friend. She'd seen something, just before I left, but I was too angry to care. I'd bear it no longer; I needed to get _out_.

Out of the confining spaces of that open, bright home.

That was my second mistake.

The first was falling in love with that golden angel.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

~Two Days Ago~

"Jasper, leave me _alone!_" I slammed my door shut, but I knew it would do nothing to deter him. He was so much stronger than I, what with my being human.

"Please, listen to me." I childishly plugged my ears and turned away from him.

"Amber..." he was begging now.

How could I resist him? That voice, that face...he looked like an angel. Gabriel, maybe. I couldn't remember much right now; I was to busy being lost in his golden eyes.

Despite the slight fog over my brain, I could still remember that I was angry with him. _Furious_ with him.

"Jasper, I don't wanna hear it. Save your shit for someone who cares." I attempted to shove him out of my room...with no success what so ever. He didn't even move.

Being one of Alice and Bella's best friends could be hard sometimes.

For example, the ever-hungry vampire boy—no, man--who had less control than the others. He could be a real trouble at times. Like when he almost attacked me about five minutes ago. That was troubling.

I felt a wave of calm come over me....and then I was more angry than I was before. He was trying to make me _calm down_. When he'd nearly attacked me? I was pissed now.

"You _asshole_! I don't want to be calm right now!!" I screamed at him. This time he let me shove him out of the room.

After I'd firmly kicked him out, I locked the door and sunk to the floor, tears flowing. I cried openly. Cried for myself. Cried for Alice. Because I loved him, so much that it hurt. How had I fallen in love with my best friend's soul mate? How _could _I? This seemed like some sick joke to me—it wasn't supposed to be this way. Ever.

But it was...and there was nothing I could do now.

I stood up and wiped my eyes. I needed to get _out_. I needed to get out of this house; Esme's loving expression, Edward's knowing eyes. I didn't want to see the hurt in Alice's eyes when she figured out how I felt about her one true love. And most of all, I did not want to see Jasper's face...his perfect, beautiful face. It was too much.

It wasn't entirely dark yet; the day was sunny, so I knew that if I were to go outside, they wouldn't follow me for long. They were pretty much confined to their home and the surrounding woods. If I could just take one of their cars out...

My plan was abruptly foiled when Alice flew up the stairs and appeared in front of me. _Shit_. I wasn't ever going to get out of here, was I? Certainly not with Alice's pleading eyes looking at me.

"It's okay, Amber. I understand. I'm not angry," she said quietly. I looked away from her. I couldn't bear this. I started moving past her, but her icy hand grabbed mine. "Amber," she sounded just like him when she said that.

I was crying again. "I'm sorry, Alice. I really am. I just need to get out right now," I said, my throat thick. If Alice could cry, she probably would right now.

But her eyes suddenly went blank, staring mindlessly at me. She was having a vision. I sighed impatiently and waited for it to pass.

Once she came back into the present, her eyes were wide with what seemed like horror. "A-Amber! You can't go!" she whispered. I had trouble hearing her.

I was getting pissed again. Was anyone going to let me leave? "I'm going, Alice. I'm sorry, okay?" I shook her off and walked quickly to the garage, grabbing the first set of keys I found.

It just happened to be Rosalie's M3. Oh well;she could be angry with me later on. It's not like I was going to go in and ask them for the keys to the Volvo or something.

I jumped in and started the engine, backing out of the garage as quick as I could. They were bound to hear the engine, so I had to get out into the open soon. Or I wasn't _ever_ going to get out.

But luck seemed to be with me at the moment, and I got out onto the highway without incident. But I was still being paranoid; checking over my shoulder every few minutes, expecting to see Edward's Volvo or Carlisle's Mercedes behind me at any moment.

I drove into town, wandering aimlessly. I didn't want to go home right now; I didn't want to see my family. Because they weren't my family. Not in my heart, at least. My family was still in that house that I'd left behind, hopefully forever.


	3. Chapter Two

A/N: Thankies so much to my two reviewers!! Even though I totally blackmailed one into it, it still makes me feel better! Also, sorry these chapters are so short. I'm writing like, one a day and so they tend to be short. Anyhow, enjoy chapter two!

Chapter Two

I finally wound up somewhere in Port Angeles, in a back alley away from all the commotion of the tourist trap city. Music from a CD I'd found in the glove compartment was blasting, loud enough to make it impossible to think. And that was just what I needed right now: the inability to think.

Of course, if I even zoned out for the slightest of seconds, then my thoughts would immediately go to how I'd hurt Alice, and in turn, to _him_.

So I lost myself in music, the greatest escape I'd ever had.

My parents had gotten a divorce three years ago, and it'd been very violent. Lots of fighting...and I was usually caught in the middle of it. So I became withdrawn at school and at home, always with headphones in my ears to drown out the noise. It became a habit.

Until one day, when suddenly some little spiky haired chick came over to me, sat down next to me, and started chatting away. I was dumbfounded; and, truthfully, tempted to deck her, right there in the middle of the lunch room. I was a loner. I didn't need anyone. No one needed me.

But Alice changed my way of thinking. Instead of seeing the divorce as tearing my family apart, she made me see that there were opportunities to bond with each parent individually now. Whereas before, we'd done everything _together_, all the time, I could go and talk to my mom about my day and be girlie without dad cringing next to us.

That was the beginning of our friendship.

Eventually, I got brave enough to ask her if I could go over to her house after school. I'd expected her to say no...we weren't that close yet, her parents wouldn't allow it, something like that.

But she said yes. And I went.

Of course, I had no idea what to expect when I got there. I mean, I was beginning to get suspicious. Alice, and her family, never ate. They were absent on sunny days. And her boyfriend always looked at me like he was about to attack me or something. Safe to say, I was nervous.

So my face must've been priceless when I walked in to see all this white and open windows.

Really, people. I was expecting black...windowless...things like that. But this was so opposite of what I'd imagined. There was no way she could be a vampire.

Right?

_Wrong_.

And boy, was I ever. I'd never been more wrong in my life. I just stood there and stood, in my wrongness, as the whole _freaking_ Cullen family told me that they were, yes, vampires. And that, yes, they did drink blood. And that was almost my breaking point, until Edward quickly went on to say that they didn't drink human blood; nothing for me to worry about.

Except Jasper, of course.

But I stopped my train of thought right there; I didn't need to go into Jasper's horrifying past.

Eventually, though, it began getting later, and I knew my mother would absolutely _freak out_ if I didn't come home soon.

I sighed as I put the car in drive and began making my way out of the alley.

But as I turned a corner, into yet another alley, I saw something that made me stop dead in fear. Something that just _wouldn't leave me be_.


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N: Alrighty y'all! Chapter three is here. I wrote it on the same day that I wrote chapter two...THAT'S TWO IN ONE DAY, FOLKS. Anyhow, enjoy!**

**Much love to my reviewers!! I'm gonna give you all cupcakes 3**

Chapter Three

Of course he would've come after me; I'd known he would in the end. He was the persistent type, one to never let things go easily. But still; hadn't he caught on _yet_?

It was too late to turn back now; he'd seen me already. I'd just have to try and move this along as fast and painlessly as possible.

Knowing him, it wasn't going to be just that easy.

"Amber," he called. "Amber, can we talk? Please?" I almost growled. He wanted to _talk_? I'd give him talking, alright. I'd give him _way_ more than that.

"Alright, Jasper. Let's talk then," I muttered, shutting off the car. I didn't even bother to open the door to the convertible; I just jumped right over the door. Might as well do a few more things to piss off Rosalie while I was at it.

He walked towards me while I walked towards him, so that we met in the middle of the alleyway. I stood there, glaring the black death at him with my arms crossed. He could tell I was pissed, so he simply stood there and looked at me.

I felt like I could've slapped him.

I almost did.

But I couldn't; because what would that earn me? A broken hand, maybe? He wasn't worth it.

He was the one to break the silence. "I'm...sorry, Amber. I'm truly, truly sorry," he looked away from me, to the wall. I continued to glare, and the waves of hatred seemed to just _roll_ off of my skin.

More silence; it was different for me. I was beginning to get a little uncomfortable.

He eventually spoke again, "Amber, please...you are perhaps the kindest, most sincere girl I know. Including Alice," he added. That made my eyes widen a bit, but I still glared. He, of course, noticed that. "I mean it. I really do. And I sincerely apologize that I lost my control earlier." He grimaced a bit at the memory.

I still remained silent. It seemed like he was running out of things to say.

And was it just me, or did he look like he was holding something back? Something _big_?

"Jasper, whatever you want to say, just spit it out. Unlike you, I don't have forever," I spoke for the first time. He took a deep breath, and then spoke so fast that I almost didn't catch it.

"I'm sorry that I've almost attacked you several times but you smell so wonderful – just like how Bella smells -- that it's so hard to control myself when I haven't fed in a while and you're so pretty the way you stand there and you look absolutely adorable when you're angry, but you're still kind of scaring me the way you're glaring at me like that."

I gaped.

D-did he...seriously...just...?

I couldn't think straight. My thoughts were incoherent.

He looked relieved now; like he'd just taken something off his chest that he'd been brooding over for weeks.

And not that I looked back on it, he had been staring at me a lot lately...and he hadn't spoken to me much.

Did that mean anything? I couldn't tell.

I was too busy staring at him; staring at that perfection. The beauty of his eyes, his face, his body. The perfection of _him_.

That was all I could think about; all I could see. I couldn't even form a coherent sentence. He seemed to find this amusing. I saw a smile tug at the corners of his lips.

"B-but...Alice...?" I eventually managed to stutter out.

He shook his head. "I...don't love her...as much anymore," he whispered. I could tell that it hurt him to say that; Alice had helped him so much. As he'd said before, Alice had given him hope.

And he was throwing it all away...for _me_.

I suddenly felt like crying.

Or kissing him.

Crying won. For at least the third time today, I felt the tears spill over my eyes and fall down my cheeks.

Jasper stepped forward hesitantly and reached out with his thumb to wipe the tears away. I automatically tilted my head into his touch; his icy skin wasn't a bother for me. I was always cold anyways.

He smiled brightly at me, and I blushed through my tears. What did this mean for us now? What was he going to do? What was _I_ going to do? How was I going to explain all of this?

But my train of thought got very, _very_ distracted all of a sudden, and I thought that I might just pass out.

Because at that moment, in a dark alleyway in Port Angeles at night, Jasper Hale, my golden angel, kissed me.

**Alright, I know it seems like the perfect ending, but it's so not the end. ^^ There's more to come, folks. I just have to get it all written! But you probably won't see much of me; my dad's coming home tonight, so I'll be rather busy. Just thought I'd get this up for ya. ^^**


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: Ha! I wrote this during school today, seeing as we had oodles of extra time. Thanks so much to my lovely reviewers; I'm giving you all big hugs right now. **

Chapter Four

I'd been in a daze the whole way home. Jasper had insisted that he drive; he claimed that I wasn't in any state to drive. And truthfully, I wasn't.

But it's not like I was going to admit that.

So I just stared at him as he drove us home in the Mercedes, which he'd used when he came to find me. When I asked about the M3, he said he'd go back for it later; his main concern right now was getting me home. My concern, though, was how furious Rosalie would be if someone stole her car. I'd end up dead.

But at that point, I wasn't sure of my standing point. Were Jasper and I a couple? Had he and Alice broken it off after I'd left? Or did all of that mean absolutely nothing?

Too much to think about.

I pushed all of those thoughts out of my mind as we pulled into my driveway, and I focused on not embarrassing myself in front of Jasper.

I turned around, planning on waving goodbye to Jasper...but he wasn't in the car. I whirled around, looking for him, and found him walking towards my front door.

He turned around and grinned at me. "Aren't you coming? Or would you like to go back to my home?" His grin grew a bit wider when I shook my head and walked to join him.

I blushed profusely when he took my small hand in his larger, icy one. I just couldn't figure it out.

Why did he even _like_ me? Alice was intelligent and beautiful, everything I wasn't. I wasn't like him. I couldn't run in the woods with him or see the future like she could.

She was perfect. I wasn't.

But, in some strange way...he loved me. And that was so much more than I had ever even thought to hope for.

I used the key under the eave to unlock the door. I'd just realized that I had left all my things—my purse, backpack, and keys--at the Cullen home in my haste. When I reminded Jasper of that, no sooner had the words come out of my mouth that he had darted out the door, leaving me blinking in shock in my living room.

My mother wasn't due home for at least two more hours, so I settled in on the couch to await Jasper's return.

It didn't take him long to come back though, burdened with my things as he was. He deposited them in my bedroom before returning to the living room to sit with me.

He took my hands once more, and I couldn't help but blush. He chuckled quietly at my reaction.

"Jasper...can I...ask you something?" I questioned after a few moments of silence. "Anything at all," he replied, and he smiled at me.

That gave me some encouragement.

"Why did you...choose me? Alice is just so utterly perfect...and I'm so _not_. I'm just human," I flushed slightly and lowered my eyes, waiting for his answer.

He sure as hell took his time answering.

"Because," he finally answered. "Alice was not right for me...we wanted different things from our relationship. To make a long story short, things did not feel right. But this," and he kissed me ever so gently, like a feather across my lips. "_This_ is perfection. _You_ are perfection."

I was shocked. I couldn't speak.

That was how _I_ thought of _him_. I wasn't perfect. I was far from it.

Yet for some reason...he loved me.

And he was more than I'd ever dreamed of.


	6. Chapter Five

**A/N: Howdy folks! I know I haven't updated for a while, but it took me a bit to finish the chapter, what with all the crazy BS that has been going on. On top of it all, I've got a nasty cold that's given me a terrible headache. (groan) So that means lots of sleeping and no writing. ;_; I'm sorry! But finally, here it is. Much love to any of you who reviewed this. I wuvvles you forever if you review.**

Chapter Five

Jasper left my house that night just moments before my mother arrived home, and I was still sitting on the couch when she walked through the front door.

Ellie Beckham, my Romanian mother, was a strange woman altogether. She had brown hair and brown eyes, and she was shorter than even me. She was in her late thirties, but her face did not betray her age. It was rather hard to understand her sometimes, what with her thick accent; and sometimes she would throw me off altogether and start muttering away in Romanian.

Her and my father did not go together at all. My father, Henry, was French. He was tall and strong and had copper colored hair and dark eyes. Sometimes I thought I could see a hint of scarlet in his dark brown eyes, but then it would disappear as quickly as it had come.

So from my two very strangely matched parents came me, with golden brown hair and hazel eyes. I was rather short and average looking, nothing that would attract a large amount of attention. I was normal. I wasn't like the _perfect_ vampires, with their _perfect_ diamond hard skin and their_ perfect_ bodies.

I slept soundly that night, with blissful dreams of Jasper.

I woke easily the next morning, due to my easy sleep the night before. I dressed and cleaned up quickly, rushing down the stairs to grab a bite to eat before I left for school.

"Morning dear," my mother muttered distractedly as she turned a page in the newspaper. I kissed her cheek and darted out the door. "Bye mom, love you!" I yelled over my shoulder.

I was prepared to grab the keys to my poor little old car, when Jasper pulled up, driving Rosalie's convertible. I wondered how he'd gotten her to lend him that.

Oh well, I decided, and hopped in, grinning widely and blushing a bit. Jasper smiled as he turned up the radio, and I squealed a bit on the inside as I saw that it was my favorite song at the moment, "You're Gonna Go Far Kid" by The Offspring.

Jasper chuckled a bit, sensing my excitement, and also as I started singing along enthusiastically

to the song. And that was how we arrived at school, me singing along to the lyrics and Jasper driving too fast. We got there before the song even finished.

I'd never admit it, but his driving scared me a bit. That was also why I clung frantically to the "oh crap" bar. My knuckles were white from holding on so tight and my hand was starting to cramp as Jasper walked around the car and opened my door for me. I smiled at the very gentlemanly gesture, and blushed as he took my hand and led me to the entrance to the school.

I could feel a lot of people staring at _us_. Not just Jasper; at me, too. I wasn't used to it. I wanted out of it.

So I made my escape, somewhere Jasper couldn't follow me -- the girls' bathroom.

Ah, sweet success! No way he'd dare follow me in here. He'd get in major trouble.

However, someone else could come in here. And just my luck, she did.

Alice.

I darted into a stall as quickly as I could, but she was faster. Of course she was. I wasn't like her. I wasn't like him, either. I wasn't extraordinary like any of them.

I was just...me. And I wondered if that would be enough for him.

"Amber, wait. I want to talk to you," she said. Why did everyone want to talk to me these days? I turned around slowly, trying to smooth out my expression into something reasonable. Something that wasn't pissed off or annoyed or frustrated.

"Look, I can understand how you don't want to talk to me right now. But isn't it possible that we can still be friends?" she said quietly. I'd never seen Alice so...sad. It broke my heart to see her this way.

I took a few minutes to formulate my response. When I did speak, it was slowly and softly, "I wouldn't want a guy to come between us, Alice," I looked at her, dead in the eye. "You're my best friend in the entire world and there are points when I realize that I probably wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you. I wouldn't have lasted that long," I went on, reminding her of the moments when everything had gotten to be too much for me to handle and I considered just getting out of it, one way or another.

"I know. And if you weren't my best friend, I wouldn't be here asking for things to go back to normal between us, at the very least. I don't want to lose you, Amber," she said, and I nodded. I knew exactly what she was saying. Just because our love lives had changed didn't mean our friendship had to. Things could still work out.

"So...does this mean we're still friends?" Alice asked, smiling shyly.

"Friends," I said, and wrapped her in a hug.

**Haha! I still haven't added the major suckage to the story, though. It'll come along in the next few chapters. I have to do some research first. (groans at the idea of more work.) Oh well. 'Tis the price for a good story!**

**There'll probably only be a few more chapters, though. It just depends on how long this next day or so last! (laugh)**


	7. Chapter Six

**A/N: Two in one day, once again! WHOOOO!!! (laugh) I think the writing streak is back. Either that, or I get my best inspiration late at night when my mother doesn't realize that I'm using my laptop. (Unlike my sister, I don't need the Internet to survive. I just need a laptop. XD)**

**And so the suckage begins!!!**

Chapter Six

"How _cute._" The most bored yet angelic voice I had ever heard rang throughout the bathroom. Alice froze dead in her place; she became a statue next to me.

In the next second, Edward, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett were all in the bathroom, crouching protectively in front of the still unmoving Alice and I.

Bella arrived just moments later, only to stop in fear as she saw who was there as well.

Of course I'd heard of them; Edward and Carlisle talked of them occasionally. But much like my Trig teacher, I never bothered to listen to them. Maybe that was why I was failing Trigonometry.

But I also had no idea who this small blonde girl in front of me was. She couldn't have been older than me, but she was absolutely gorgeous, in a very childlike way. She had full lips, big eyes, and a small face. She was short, probably about Alice's height. But as I looked closer, I noticed that her eyes were red. Scarlett red, to be exact.

And that could only mean one thing.

She was a vampire.

Not like my vampires, though. She was a vampire who drank human blood, who killed people so that she could live.

"Jane," Edward whispered quietly, most likely to me, identifying the girl who stood before us in a dark cloak, and it swirled slightly about her even though we were inside.

She smiled angelically (there really was no other way to put it) at him. I could see Bella wince slightly at Jane's smile, probably some memory of their time in Italy. "Hello, Edward, Bella," she nodded at Bella to acknowledge her presence. "How lovely to see you again." Her voice had that same blank monotone.

"What brings you here, Jane?" Edward asked politely. Like he was asking about the weather.

"Business," she said. "It has come to our knowledge that _she_--" they all glanced at me as Jane nodded in my direction, "--has become aware of our existence. I came to investigate."

I was wide-eyed. I couldn't speak. My voice seemed non-existent. "We have already discussed Bella's mortality, however," Edward said. It seemed like he knew how to deal with these Volturi people. "She will be turned shortly after her graduation from high school." Edward looked a bit frantic.

"I am not here for Bella, however. I am here for _her_."

And she looked right at me.

I almost feinted.

Jasper hissed menacingly, and Alice unfroze. Her eyes were huge. They looked like they were about to pop out of her sockets.

"You can't have her!" Jasper snarled. Jane smiled at him, the same way she had Edward, but this time, Jasper fell to the ground in a twitching heap.

"Jasper!" Alice and I both screamed unanimously. I rushed to Jasper's side and Alice flashed over to Jane, her eyes blazing. I thought she was going to hit her.

I would've, given the circumstances.

But Alice always had more common sense than I did, so she hissed in Jane's face and snarled, "Could we go somewhere a little more _private_? There are others around."

Jane stopped that terrible smiling at Jasper and nodded. She disappeared through the door faster than I could blink, and Jasper's eyes opened and slowly focused. He was still grimacing.

"A-are you okay?" I whispered, looking for any signs of harm on his body, but found none. "How did she hurt you? I don't see any wounds," I said.

"You won't find any," Bella said, and I realized that she was still in the room, while all of the vampires had departed, most likely into the nearby woods.

"She...did that to Edward when we were in Italy," Bella whispered, and I could see that the memory hurt her. "It's just an illusion, though. Inside the mind. Which is why she can't get to me," she smiled tentatively at me, but my attention was focused on Jasper.

"Can you walk?" I asked him. It was a silly question, though. Of course he could. He was a stone. He could stand in the middle of a tornado and he wouldn't even be hurt.

He stood slowly, like he was testing his balance. "I think I'm okay," he smiled a bit. I sighed in relief. "Good thing, 'cause I don't think I could carry you!" I tried to laugh, but it sounded false in my ears.

Truth is, I was scared stiff at the moment. What did that freaky chick want with me? I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? I didn't think I had.

"I can tell you're scared," he whispered in my ear, so that Bella couldn't hear. "We'll make it. I know we will. I can _feel _it."

We walked out into the cool morning air, towards the woods, where fate was waiting for me, with a wicked glint in it's eye.

**So is that not suckage or WHAT?! (laugh) Okay, so it's not the most beautifully way to bring Jane in. But I just love ruining someone's moment, even my own characters'.**


	8. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Another writing streak. Seriously, it only happens at night. (laugh) Anyway, I'm sorry this one is so short! But it just seemed weird when I kept going, so I cut it off. Chapter eight is in the works right now, and since I don't have school tomorrow I'll be able to write!**

**And I just totally realized that this was the THIRD CHAPTER IN ONE DAY. ZOMG.**

**That really deserves reviews. (Pretty please? ;_;)**

Chapter Seven

We walked into the cool mid-November air. It was too cold for me; after all, I'd moved to Forks from Florida seven years ago, and even now the cold still got to me.

When we got to the edge of the forest, I noticed Bella was already gone. I figured Edward must've come back for her when I had zoned out; Jasper often had to keep me from falling on my face.

I started in, prepared to walk, but Jasper grabbed my wrist and kept me behind.

"Whatever happens in there," he said, looking deep into my eyes, "Know that I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anything or anyone." And he kissed me before slinging me gracefully onto his back, like a small child would ride on their father's back.

We rushed deep into the forest, and I enjoyed the exhilarating feeling that I felt as Jasper ran. It felt quite a bit like riding in a convertible on the highway. But the ride ended too quickly for my likes, and then we were in the clearing, with Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Jasper and myself in a loose line.

I hadn't known it before, but Jane had brought other members of the Volturi with her. There was a tall brawny one that reminded me of Emmett, a leaner one, and another just as short as Jane, but I could see under the cowl of his cloak that he was a man.

"Are you satisfied now? We have relocated to a more 'private' place," Jane mocked Alice's words.

I was really close to hitting her. Either that, or running out of that small clearing as fast as my legs could carry me and hoping that no one noticed.

But I stayed in my place, which was behind Jasper. He was protecting me, I knew. However, I felt like I should have been at the front lines, standing with them.

"What business do you have with her? She has broken none of your rules," Edward said.

"She is a danger to us," Jane replied.

I was confused. How could I be a danger to them? I mean, besides me knowing they were vampires. But that couldn't be counted as dangerous...could it? It's not like I was going to blab their secrets to anyone. Hell, I wouldn't tell someone even if they beat me within an inch of my life or worse.

I loved them—all of them--too much to even dare think of that.

"She is of no danger to you," Jasper snarled.

Edward's eyes widened. It was almost comical, had I not been worried about what it was that frightened them so. I wondered what he was hearing in the Volturi's mind.

Jane laughed, but there was not a hint of humor in the sound. It was a dry, empty laugh, and I could tell that she did not care. She was bored with this. "Do you not know?" she questioned.

I wondered what she was talking about. What didn't they know about me? I'd already told them everything. But Edward was shaking his head slowly, so slowly, and then he turned to look at me with what was either horror or curiosity in his eyes.

She laughed again. "Oh, how lovely this is turning out to be," Jane sighed, and this time there was a hint of life in her voice.

"That girl, the one you protect so vigilantly, is not human."

**Ooooh! Any guesses as to what Amber might be? Guess! I want to hear your theories! **


	9. Chapter Eight

_A/N:_** Okie dokie! So if any of you talk to my dear friend Jilly, she will say that she's about ready to kill me because I chose writing this chapter over watching Bleach. But this one was important, as are the next few chapters. So they had to be written! Anyhow, I only got one guess of what Amber might be. So just...read on.**

**And review!**

* * *

Chapter Eight

I gaped.

Not...human...?

So what was I then? Was I some sort of alien? You know, green skin, big buggy black eyes?

I did a quick check over myself, to make sure I wasn't turning green.

Nope, no green skin here.

But I was curious now. What was I supposed to be, if not human? Was there anything else that I could be? I didn't think so...but look where thinking had gotten me in the past.

I then noticed that everyone in the clearing was staring at me, including the members of the Volturi. Maybe they were waiting for me to say "Oh, darn! You figured me out!"

Well, news flash, Jane. I wasn't going to do that. I was going to stand there, mentally freaking out over what freaking species I was, since, according to Lil' Miss Boredom over there, I wasn't human.

I was about to start screaming, really. I was going insane.

But then, my mother walked into the clearing from the west side, and my father from the east. They both looked windblown, their hair in a mess and their clothing dotted with raindrops.

Had they _run_ here? No way.

"We'll take it from here, Jane." That was my dad.

But wait. Did he just call her Jane? How does he know her name? There was no way he could know her name, unless he'd been following me or something, or...or...

Or...he _knew_ her.

Like, he knew what she was.

And that was my breaking point, because I couldn't quite face the truth. I didn't want to think about it.

The clearing started going black, Jasper and my mom called out my name, and Jasper grabbed me to hold me before I hit my head on the ground as I let the darkness overcome me.

* * *

"There's a reason we never told her! It was so we could protect her from the dangers of our lives! And now she goes and figures it all out on her own? How could this happen?" my dad was yelling.

That was the first thing I heard. Yelling. I flinched internally at the memories of my parents' fighting and tried to go back under, but there was no going back now.

"Amber, darlin'" Jasper drawled in my ear. That accent was so sexy, but slightly out of place in the midst of so many perfectly articulated European voices. "Come on, honey. Wake up for me, please? Your mother and father are here. It's alright."

"She is old enough to know, Gwenaël! Look how well she deals with them. The boy holds her like he holds porcelain! Do you not see it? Do your aged eyes no longer recognize young love?" I recognized my mother and her accent, but who the hell was Gwenaël?

I opened my eyes to see Jasper's face just inches from mine. He kissed me chastely and set me upright on my feet. Apparently he had been holding me, bridal style.

I was a bit unsteady at first, but eventually righted myself. I looked around me, to see my parents arguing—flinch— in a corner. It looked like Edward and Carlisle were talking to the Volturi, both with expressions of wonder and curiosity on their faces.

I looked around, wondering who this Gwenael person was and just where he was hiding from me. My mother had been yelling at him just a moment ago...

But wait.

The only person my mother had _ever_ yelled at was my father.

Even when she was so angry she could have ripped something into shreds with her bare hands, she never raised her voice.

So that could only mean one thing.

My father.

He was Gwenaël.

So then why did everyone call him Henry? And what was with the weird name?

So many questions.

My mother and father... Gwenaël...noticed that I was awake at the same time, and they moved together towards me. I stiffened, but relaxed when Jasper slid his hands around my waist, hugging me. "It's alright, honey. I'm right here," he whispered in my ear.

I nodded, prepared to face whatever my parents had to tell me. I could handle it, as long as my angel was beside me.  


* * *

**I'm really hoping no one is going to kill me since I didn't really reveal what Amber is. But I hinted at it! So if you figure it out, lemme know, although there's no chance in hell you'll get the answer completely right. ;)**

**I'll wubbles you forever if you review. o.o Pwetty pwease?**

**And whoooo! I can beta now! (happy dance)**


	10. Chapter Nine

_A/N:_ **Alright. So I know I haven't posted in a while, but my teachers have been loading me with so much work it's insane. I finally decided that tonight, I was gonna finish this chapter, damnit! Because someone inspired me to, even though he doesn't know it. Anyway, enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!**

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Chapter Nine

"Amber! Amber, darling, are you alright?" my mother looked me over frantically, trying to find any visible signs of harm on me, although she wouldn't find one. All harm was inside my mind.

"I'm fine, mom. Really," I muttered, not enjoying the attention once more. My mother didn't look convinced, however, and still looked at me with a worried look in her eye.

I finally worked up the courage to ask the questions that were burning inside me, begging to be asked. However, I started with the easiest questions, the one I already knew the answers to but only needed to hear aloud.

"Who is Gwenaël?" I asked. I looked to my father, and he knew that I knew. But he still took his time composing his answer. When he finally spoke, it was in a short, brief statement that did not shock me. My father was always a man of little words, while my mother made long, drawn out speeches.

"I am," he said. I nodded. I knew that, I could handle it.

My father hated being in the spotlight, I knew, so I turned to my mother next.

"How did you get here so quickly? I wasn't unconcious for that long...was I?" I looked to Jasper, silently questioning.

"Only about two minutes," He said, and I nodded. There was no way that they could have known where I was, not to mention gotten here so quickly, without other means.

Like, say, being a vampire.

But I could only really assume that my father was a vampire. My mother, I knew, was completely human. I'd seen her injured before, seen her age. My father had not aged since I could remember.

My father answered this time, much to my suprise. His answer was brief once more. "I ran. I carried your mother, much like how the boy carries you."

I couldn't blush, even though my father knew about mine and Jasper's relationship. That was something that would usually embarrass me for some reason. But I couldn't. Not right now.

I was _right_.

My father was a vampire.

So what did that make me? Half-vampire? Or was I adopted? That would explain why I didn't look like either of my parents.

But what my mother said next shocked me to the core. It shocked me more than the fact that my father was a vampire, because this was something I had never imagined.

It was surreal.

"I am a witch, Amber."

And she changed her appearance suddenly, and her usual plain countenance changed.

A woman of no more than what appeared to be twenty-eight stood before me, with shock silver hair and red eyes. Her facial features were the exact same as my mother's, but she did not have the small tell-tale signs of age that her face had shown just moments before.

My jaw almost literally hit the floor, and even the gathered Cullens stared a bit.

Jane, however, did not. And it angered me so that she knew about this while I did not.

"W-w-what?!" I finally managed to stammer.

"A witch, darling. That is what I am," my mother smiled bitterly at me. "And if we had told you from the beginning, we could have avoided this whole mess! If you had been raised the way I wanted--" but my mother got cut off there by a stern look from my father. It was obvious I was not supposed to know these things, but I wanted to anyway.

"Raised the way you wanted?" I asked.

My father seemed to give up, knowing he would lose to my mother. When she wanted something, she got it.

"_I_ wanted you raised in the ways of a witch. I wanted you brought into the magic at age four, raised in the society, and to go through the ceremonies that all witches go through. I did not want you to be left out of it, if only because of your vampire half. You would be both; witch and vampire, forever immortal. But since you _were_ only half witch...we did not know. So your father and I decided that you would be raised as a human, to know nothing of either of our kinds. Perhaps if you had known your true nature, then we could have avoided this happening." She glanced towards the Volturi members, who were watching us with the same amount of enthusiasm that you would give a TV show you'd never even heard of.

So Jane _was_ right. I wasn't human at all. There was no trace of human blood in me.

But I was beginning to wonder.

"If I am half-vampire, why don't I have any vampiric qualities? Why can't I run like they can or lift the things they can?" I queried. I wanted to be like Jasper, to be the same as him.

Damnit, I wanted that so bad.

"We do not know," my mother said. "There are several theories we have come up with. The witch blood could be dominant in you," my mother said proudly. "Or the vampiric powers could be latent. They might not show until you reach full maturity. Or," and I could tell that my mother did not like this next theory, by the way she srunched her nose a bit,"Or you could be a mere human, and the powers canceled themselves out."

I nodded, but I really hoped that the powers just hadn't shown up yet.

"However, we know that you have your witch abilities," my father said. "As an infant, you were always making things blow up or change shape, among other things," he smiled.

So...I could do stuff like that?

How cool was that?!

And Jasper knew I was excited about the idea that I could do something special, because he grinned and squeezed my shoulders, and I turned my head to beam at him. I turned back to my mother, and began asking questions in rapid succesion.

"So what kind of stuff can I do? Can I change my shape? My appearance, like you did? Can I blow stuff up? Can I put spells on people? Oh, mom, this is so cool!" I gushed. I was so happy.

I was special.

My mother smiled, and she too seemed happy. "You must learn to master your powers," she said. "We will take you to the Council to grant you permission so that you may begin your training."

And I was elated. I could learn to do special things, and I hoped to high heavens that my vampire powers would show soon.

Jane laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. It was the laugh of someone who was used to killing. "We cannot allow that," she said. "This _creature_ is a danger to us, no matter her bloodlines. She must be taken care of." And the way she said that made me knew exactly what she meant.

They wanted to kill me, and a part of me somehow knew that if they found a great enough reason, they could get away with it.

* * *

**Do you have any idea how tempted I was to end that on a cliff hanger? Seriously. It was torture to end it with a decent sentence.**

**But I'm a reader too, and so I know how terrible it is when someone leaves it on a cliffhanger. It's torture.**

**And speaking of which, I really just love throwing everyone for a loop and adding the witchy-ness. ^^ But don't blame me, really. It's all Jillian. She created the parents herself, so she's the one you can go kill because the Volturi are after Amber.**

**I'm totally innocent, people. I swear!**


	11. Chapter Ten

_A/N_: **Okay, so I know, this took forever. But I wanted it to work just so, and it took forever to be completely satisfied. I know it's short, but this is actually a bit of a filler chapter. The big action is in the next chapter. ^^ Anyhow, I let my dear friend Alma Theresa read this, and so she got inspired. So now we're writing a Twilight story together. It's posted under her name, however. R/R, please!**

* * *

Chapter Ten

My father hissed, and Edward and Emmett actually had to hold Jasper back to keep him from attacking the Volturi.

"You'll never take her," he growled, and in that moment, I was blatantly aware of just how dangerous he was. But then...I remembered that I was like him. I didn't know what powers I had (or if at this point, I'd have a chance to study them), but I hoped I was strong enough to at least defend myself if this came to a fight.

My mother stepped in front of me. "She will not be taken anywhere," she said, her voice low and dangerous.

But I was not a child; I could fend for myself. I didn't need everyone protecting me all the time. So I stepped around my mother, whose eyes widened as she whispered fiercely "Amber Valentina Beckham, get behind me _now_!"

I shook my head, however. I would no longer be babied and nursed. I would stand up for myself, and make it through this so I could be with the man I loved.

"No, mother. I may not know what I'm doing, and I may get myself killed in the process," Jasper and my father growled in a feirce protest, "But at least I'll go down fighting. I'm tired of being taken care of all the time. I'm fully capable of handling things myself."

My love walked to my side and gripped my hand tightly. "She holds no threat to you, Jane. You and your friends can leave," he spat.

I watched as all the Cullens and my parents joined us, and we all stood loosely in a line, with Jasper and I at the middle. I looked at each of their faces, and saw the same grim defiance in their expressions. I was abruptly teary-eyed.. They were going to fight, and possibly lose their lives, for _me_? A foolish half-breed who had gotten herself into a whole heap of trouble?

Alice stood beside me, and I grabbed her hand and looked her in the eyes, communicating without words. Whatever hell faced us, we would always be friends. I owed her my life, and possibly more. I would never have been able to give up Jasper the way she did.

I looked at my parents, who stood next to each other, and as I looked them over, my jaw dropped. Were they, my _divorced_ parents...holding hands? I blinked my eyes a few times and sure enough, the image was still there. I wondered what this meant for them and for me, in the future.

That is, if I even had one.

Because at this rate, the odds weren't in our favor.

But I had hope. I had hope in my friends, family, and in love, because in the end, if anything saved us, that would be it.

An idea popped into my head suddenly.

The Volturi were distracted...

I screamed Edward's name mentally, to get his attention. I could see that he cringed a bit at how loud my mental voice was. I quickly laid out my plan for him in my head, and I looked at him.

He nodded back at me, and then whispered the plan to Emmet, who stood next to him, so low that no one else would be able to hear.

That started the game of telephone, one vampire passing it on to another. Eventually it got to Jasper, and as my father told him the plan, his eyes widened and he looked at me. I nodded slightly to him, and he grinned at me, giving me hope. If Jasper thought it could work, then I knew we had a fighting chance.

Alice, of course, had already seen it all, so she passed it to Carlisle and Esme, who stood next to her.

The Volturi hadn't even noticed our little game. They were to busy talking amongst themselves, about what, I didn't know. But it must've been something important, otherwise you'd think the would have noticed us beforehand.

It was now or never.

I looked at everyone, to make sure I got their attention. They waited for me to tell them when.

Three...two...one...  
"Now!!"

* * *

**Bwhahaha! I just love writing cliffhangers. ^^**


	12. Chapter Eleven

_A/N:_** I am sooooo sorry! I cannot believe how long it took me to write this; I should be punished. I really am sorry! But here it is, chapter eleven, all finished up. Sorry for the cliffhanger!**

* * *

Chapter Eleven

I ran for my life. I ran faster than I'd ever run before.

If I'd been in the Olympics, I'm sure I would've won. No one could run this fast, and I felt like I was flying for a bit.

I heard rapid footfalls behind me, and I panicked. Oh God, one of them is following me. They're going to catch me.

I'm going to die now.

I kept running; I wasn't going down without a fight, that was for sure.

But I heard the huffing and puffing, and then I realized it was my mother, because there was no way Bella could keep up with this. She was completely human; my mother was not, nor was I.

That wasn't what I'd told her to do! Damnit, why was she being like this?! She could help them! I wasn't sure what powers my mother had, or even I had for that matter, but I knew she had to have something in her. She could help them, back in the clearing.

I slowed down a bit, so that she could catch up to me. She sped up a bit, so that we could still keep running at our amazing pace.

We were soon running side by side, both of us trying to get as far away as possible.

I was suprised when we appeared back in the school parking lot; it was empty now, devoid of people or cars.

Had we actually run all the way back to school? But that had to be at least a mile in...!

It was right then that I realized I _could_ run that far, and not be out of breath. I wasn't having trouble breathing at all. I felt kinda exhilerated, and the adrenaline that crackled around my mother and I was nearly tangible in the cool, damp air.

My mother looked at me with a look, and I knew we should keep going. But I wanted to test something.

"Mom, teach me a spell, or whatever the hell you do to make the magic work," I said, trying my hardest not to sound demanding, "Anything."

She looked kinda shocked. Okay, so she looked really shocked. "Now?!" she shreiked. I cringed a bit. "Um, yeah..." I was kinda sheepish now. "C'mon! If you teach me one, it'll help!" I pleaded.

She sighed and spinned in a circle, something that told me she was stressed. "Alright, alright! I will teach you magic," she sighed exasperatedly. "How to teleport. That is a good one. Yes."

Hm. Interesting choice.

My mother paced in front of me, wringing her hands with a focused look on her face.

"Two types of magic," she said. I could tell that any minute now, she'd be prattling off in Romanian. Her English was slacking now. "Physical and mental. Spell you are doing is physical," she said. She stopped in her manic pacing and looked at me.

_"Nu există un motiv bun pentru teleporting. Da, foarte bun motiv. El va lucra."_

Although I had a very vague knowledge of the Romanian language, I could pick out a few words, like _motiv_ was reason, and the phrase "el va lucra" meant "it will work."

And although I could not fully understand my mother's words, I knew what she meant. I must have a reason; and because my reason was good, righteous, then my spell would work.

"The words are _déplacez par télépathie_," my mother said. "_Concentra_, Amber. Say _ei_." Them.

I closed my eyes to concentrate, like my mother said.

As I said the fluid words that flowed easily over my tongue, I had the strangest sensation that I was moving. My legs were not moving, however. I kept my eyes closed, not knowing what I would see if I opened them.

When the strange moving stopped, I opened my eyes and found myself where I wanted to be most; with Jasper, in the clearing, in the midst of our small, harsh war.

I looked into his eyes, and kissed my golden angel once more.

Perhaps for the last time.

* * *

**Spells and all magical info is credit to Ms. Jillian L. She's the one who gave me the spells and everything I need to know about her magical people! And the spells are in French, by the way.**

**I'm sorry. I'm rambling. =)**

**R/R! And check out my story with Alma Theresa.**


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